Data reporting guidebook - Experian

1 data reporting guidebook Energy and communications industries data reporting guidebook Energy and communications industries 2008 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Title and copyright in this document at all times belong to Experian and may only be used by employees of the client authorized for such purpose. This document (or any part of it). shall not be copied or reproduced (in any form whatsoever), transmitted or stored within a retrieval system or disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of Experian . Experian reserves the right to revise or otherwise alter this publication and associated software and to make changes to the content thereof, without obligation to notify any person of such changes or revisions.

2 data reporting | i Table of contents Chapter 1: data What is data reporting ? .. 2. Experian 's role in data 2. data security and permissible 3. reporting 3. Case study 4. Benefits to 5. Onboarding 6. Case study 7. Chapter 2: Legal and compliance Federal 8. State and local 9. Other credit-granting legislation .. 10. Chapter 3: Project management implementation 11. Project 11. Building the business 12. Assigning a project 12. Developing 13. Achieving Metro 2 13. Stakeholder 14. Creating internal 14. Steps for 15. Chapter 4: Building your business 16. Experian 's prereporting 16.

3 The business 17. 18. data reporting | iii Table of contents Chapter 5: Developing 19. Experian data reporting 19. Current Experian 19. New 19. data Release Agreement (DRA).. 19. Service Agreement (SA).. 19. Subscriber Questionnaire Document (SQD).. 20. e-OSCAR registration 20.. Required conversion 20. Business Requirements Document (BRD).. 20. Chapter 6: Achieving Metro 2 21. Requirements 21. Metro 2 record 21. Scenario 22. Account scenarios 22. 23. Programming best 23. Account 24. Sold 24. Payment 24. Payment 24. Special comment 24. Compliance condition 25. Existing disputes and identity theft 25.

4 Secondary 25. Exclusions to initial 25. data 25. Defect 26. File transfer, test and 26. Live 26. Transition period/Code 26. iv | data reporting Table of contents Chapter 7: Stakeholder 27. Communication plan 27. Stakeholder 27. Communication plan 29. Illustrative communication 30. Stakeholder 31. Consumer 33. Chapter 8: Creating internal processes and 35. The e-OSCAR dispute management 35.. Creating a dispute resolution 36. 38. Measuring and monitoring 39. Frequently asked questions (FAQ).. 41. data 41. data types and 41. 42. 42. 43. Dispute 43. 45. data reporting | v Introduction Introduction The energy and communications industries reporting guidebook was created by Experian analysts and industry experts.

5 This guidebook includes an overview of data reporting , detailed information on the potential benefits to your business and customers, steps for success, how to implement reporting for your utility, several case studies and an integrated set of industry best practices. Frequently asked questions and a glossary of terms also are included at the end of the document. This guidebook should help further your understanding of the use of data reporting in the energy and communications industries. Of course, the experience of individual utilities varies, and Experian cannot guarantee any particular result for your company.

6 data reporting involves a number of different legal and regulatory standards. While this guidebook offers Experian 's perspective on some of the laws and regulations generally applicable to data reporting , it does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with your own legal counsel regarding your company's situation before taking any action with respect to any matter discussed in this guidebook . If you are interested in reporting to Experian or have questions regarding the content in this document, please contact Experian 's Membership Services at 1 800 831 5614.

7 data reporting | 1. Chapter 1: data reporting data reporting Good credit is a valuable asset in today's economy, and data reporting is a highly effective tool for managing collections and building credit. For many years, data reporting has been a successful tool companies use to promote timely bill payments from consumers. Over time, consumers have adopted the idea that payment behavior with lenders that do report potentially impacts their overall credit score. Additionally, it also may affect their ability to attain needed credit or competitive rates. As with banks and other lending institutions that have traditionally reported, utilities should begin to see the same positive effects timely bill payments and improved collections.

8 Utility companies that do report have shared their experiences with Experian regarding the benefits of reporting , as well as their interaction with external stakeholders such as lenders, the media and consumer groups. One common misconception brought up by these groups is that data reporting may hurt consumers. Studies show that this is not the case data reporting can actually help consumers. Consumers who do not pay their bills and are sent to collections typically already are reported to a consumer reporting agency through collections or through a company's internal collections department.

9 This means the consumers with delinquent behavior already are being affected by data reporting . The consumers who benefit are those who pay their bills on a timely basis or have the ability to pay on time. data reporting will reflect these timely payments and help build both their credit profile and score. Ultimately, it can encourage prompt payment habits from consumers and reward them for their positive payment behavior. Experian 's interaction with clients and review of research suggest that full file data reporting can help improve a company's bottom line. reporting data to Experian is a safe and effective way of sharing credit information, and there is no cost to report.

10 What is data reporting ? data reporting is the reporting of consumer credit information by a business where a payment is required for a product or service that has been received or used by a consumer. Businesses that report data , called data reporters or data furnishers, are responsible for the secure electronic transfer of consumer payment information to a credit reporting agency (CRA), such as Experian . Once the information is received, the CRA includes it in its database and a tradeline is created on each consumer. A tradeline is a single line on the credit report stating information about the consumer's financial account.